Friday, 18 November 2016

Advertising Gold Label

If you’ve been paying attention, you’ll remember that Tennant introduced Gold Label in 1951. I’ve found evidence that a couple of years later they really started to push it.

Because in the final months of 1954 I’ve found lots of adverts from different regional newspapers for Gold Label. I’m dead pleased I came across them. Because they tell me all sorts of things. If nothing else they give an indication of where it was sold.

It’s no surprise, Tenant being located in Sheffield, that Gold Label was distributed in Yorkshire:

Even to look at Tennants Gold Label Barley Wine does you good ! The flavour's clean, not heavy, not cloying, but clean to the palate. And as your Gold Label goes down its cheering glow puts new heart into you! For months Gold Label lies lazily maturing in selected casks. It is released to us only when it has reached the peak of perfection. To maintain its goodness, sparkle and delicate flavour. Gold Label is bottled with extreme care and is then supplied to selected local houses and off-licences. Now that you are ‘in the know’ ask for Tennants Gold Label Barley Wine - and take one home for the wife.

The name of the distributor implies to me that Tennant were allowing third parties to bottle Gold Label. An arrangement that wasn’t unusual in the 1950’s.

As we go through the adverts you’ll see that Tennant emphasised a couple of points. First the flavour and body of Gold Label. The word clean is used multiple times. What they seem to be implying is that Gold Label isn’t heavy and cloying like other strong beers. It’s sparkle – presumably from the heavy carbonation – is also mentioned several times.

Unusually, they also mention the maturation process, stressing that Gold Label was aged for months in casks. Which we know from Frank Priestley’s book was the case. At least in the 1950’s before Whitbread took over.
Love the throwaway line at the end about taking one home for the wife. Not sure it would please Dolores if I brought her home a Gold Label.

Rather more surprising is that Tennant were also advertising Gold Label far from their Yorkshire home:

Having Tennants Gold Label Barley Wine is wonderful way of keeping out the cold and keeping up your spirits! You can see that Gold Label will do you a power of good and when you taste it, comforting things happen. A delicious warming glow starts centrally - then spreads. You're hundred per-cent winter-weatherproof! For months Gold Label lies lazily maturing in mellow old casks, slowly colouring to a rich clear amber, slowly taking on its sparkle and clean flavour. Only when it’s judged ‘perfect’ is it sold. Now that you are ‘in the know’ there's no need for you to be left out in the cold. Join the Gold Labellers!

I’d go along with Gold Label as a way of keeping out the cold. Pretty sure you wouldn’t be allowed to say that today. The description of a warming glow tallies very closely with Frank Priestley’s report about the effects of Gold Label.